History of its foundation

In 1960, a group of Arequipa’s women undertook the project to establish in Arequipa, an institution that provides rehabilitation services to children with disabilities.

With the initial participation of Mrs. Margaret Cornuelle de Ricketts and Lucy Harmsen de Bustamante and under the guidance of the Parish Priest of Iglesia del Pilar, Rev. Father John Waldy, this initiative was carried out whose first actions were:

Study the problem of the mentally disabled in Arequipa’s City.

Recruit children with mental disabilities from the community.

Receive training from professionals.

In September 1964, the UNAMONOS ASSOCIATION was formally started with its registration in Public Registries, its founding members being the following people:

Mrs. Elsa Billig de Roberts
Mrs. Rosa Berastain de Palao
Mrs. Gloria Abuhadba de Abugattas
Mrs. Julia Chávez de Medina
Mrs. Margaret Cornuelle de Ricketts
Mrs. Elsa Arias de Cerf
Mrs. Consuelo Santibañez de Brewer
Mrs. Lucy Harmsen de Bustamante
Miss. Silvia Forga Bracesco

The enormous enthusiasm and generosity of the founders as well as the volunteer staff that collaborated in Unamonos, caused that a large number of children were treated, but who presented different ailments both of mental retardation, as well as psychiatric and physical, which demanded to have a series of specialists that at that time was not possible to get.

Under this situation and starting in 1974, Unamonos was reorganized under the leadership of Dr. Jaime Rey de Castro López de Romaña, who as Chairman of the Board, directed his actions to the creation of a Private Center for Special Education only in the areas of mental retardation, obtaining in October 1975 the official recognition of the Ministry of Education.

Under this new concept, Unamonos began to function in the Psychiatry Pavilion of the General Hospital, thanks to Dr. Hugo Delgado, who provided these facilities. Work began under the direction of Mrs. Virginia Zeballos Lozada and with the volunteer work of the professors Ms. Nancy Jara Juárez and Ms. Adelaida Cornejo Quiroz as well as Mrs. Annelies Haeberle de Bustamante, reaching a period of five years, 25 children and 8 people in charge of their care and rehabilitation.

Collaboration was requested from the Arequipa Medical College and the Pan American Health Organization, an entity that generously appointed an expert to our city to train the Unamonos staff in the technical bases and improve the operation of the center.

In 1979, Mrs. Ruth Rey de Castro López de Romaña generously donated the property located at 119 Ayacucho Street in El Cercado to Unamonos, a place that allowed us to work with a greater number of children.

After staying for five years in said place, the growing demand for vacancies to educate special children, forced the Board of Unamonos to acquire the property located on Calle Santa Marta N ° 111 in El Cercado of Arequipa, where it has been operating since the year of 1986.